


金 (Gold)

by derangedklutz



Category: Running Man RPF
Genre: And a pinch of angst, F/M, Friendship/Love, Slow Burn, a dash of sexual tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2019-09-27 23:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17171486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derangedklutz/pseuds/derangedklutz
Summary: My humble take on how Jong Kook and Ji Hyo became the closest of friends (read: more than friends) over the course of Running Man.





	1. Americano

**Author's Note:**

> Just some fics about the two of them with no depth whatsoever. Mostly off-camera fun, not that closely linked to the show even though it's inspired by their interactions on screen. It still progresses linearly, though. Kinda thought the world needed more spartace fics that are not purely sexual, overly emotional/dramatic, or too childish. I am a horrible writer, so please pardon my um... everything.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jong Kook buys Ji Hyo a cup of coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Setting:** just before the filming of episode 19 (yes, this starts from wayyy back)  
>  **Inspired by:** Jong Kook graciously (and maybe kinda deviously) buying Ji Hyo Americano in the Mong Taxi episode (ep 35)  
>  **Speculation:** that Jong Kook and Ji Hyo both like Americano, and that they're both early birds

Jong Kook turned the corner and found the set. No one else was there yet, apart from the crew milling about and double-checking the equipment. The atmosphere was lazy, with the sky just starting to brighten up. He looked around for a spot to sit and wait for the rest, and spotted her. 

Ji Hyo sat in the corner hunched over a stack of papers, looking almost too small in her grey puffy coat. He figured he shouldn’t disturb her while she was reading her script, but knew it would be weird if she realized he was there too and ignored her. He huffed, and watched his breath form in the air. He should at least say hi. But it's weird to just say hi, isn't it? That's something one says in passing. Hm.

He walked over, and was about two steps away when she looked up. 

"Oh, Jong Kook hyung-" she stood up and bowed slightly. "Annyeonghaseyo." 

"Annyeong, Ji Hyo-ssi. Am I interrupting you?"

"No, not at all," she said, setting her paperback down on the ledge. "Do you need me for something?" 

He took a step back unconsciously. "Oh, no, no, I don't need you-" he suppressed a cringe. That sounded wrong. "Uh, I mean," he scratched the back of his head. "I was just wondering if you'd like to get a cup of coffee." A silent second passed, and he clarified, "-with me." 

She laughed abruptly. "Oh, yeah, sure! I'd love that."

He reminded himself to smile. "Great! There's this coffee place nearby that opens in 5 minutes." He made a show of checking the time on his phone. "If we go now there shouldn't be any customers yet."

"Okay, let me just get my wallet." 

"Oh, don't worry, it's on me." 

"Thanks, but I really shouldn't-" 

"C'mon, I insist." Jong Kook prayed he sounded more generous than pushy. "Let's go."

~

Ji Hyo blew into her cup and watched the mist curl up into the winter air. The coffee was actually good, and the atmosphere was starting to shift from painfully awkward to just awkward. She decided to take that as a win. 

"Do you always get Americano?" Jong Kook asked, breaking yet another length of silence between them. 

She nodded. "I've tried other types before, but Americano tastes more like coffee than the rest." 

He smiled. "So you're a purist, huh?" 

"Maybe," she said, shrugging. "Only for coffee, though." 

He chuckled. A brief few seconds passed as they both took a sip. 

"I always order Americano too," he said.

"Because it's the healthiest?" the words escaped her lips before she could stop them. 

To her relief, he laughed. "Is it that obvious?" 

She smiled. "It's a bit difficult to ignore when Jae Suk sunbae keeps pointing it out."

"Ah, that hyung," Jong Kook tilted his head as if he had a crick in his neck. "He nit-picks at the smallest things."

A salad for lunch and dinner is hardly nit-picking, but Ji Hyo laughed politely. "Occupational hazard, I guess." 

He nodded in agreement and took another sip. "You know, I've been meaning to ask you: ignoring the show and the love-line and all that, if you met Gary in real life as a guy, do you think you'd date him?"

She resisted an eye-roll. Is talking about the two of them on set not enough? "He's a great guy," she said, watching her words. "Nice, funny, charismatic."

"Nice, funny, charismatic," he repeated, and took a long sip. "But?" 

This time she laughed for real. "But," she dragged the word out playfully, looking down at the gravel passing beneath her footsteps. "We're colleagues, hyung. I don't want it to get complicated."

He smiled, as if pleased by her answer. "That's true. That's a very professional way of looking at it, actually." He turned to regard her, like he was seeing her in a different light. "You're pretty sensible, huh?" 

Ji Hyo couldn't help but furrow her brows. Was it just her or was that a little condescending? She quickly smiled, though, because it was still a compliment. 

"I think "realistic" is a more accurate word," she said, feeling a need to correct him. "People tell me I'm too clear-headed at times, and I agree." 

He frowned like he was confused. "What's wrong with being clear-headed? You need that kind of sense in this industry. And honestly, I think being impulsive and emotional is stupid." 

She raised her eyebrows. "You mean you've never done anything irrational?" 

He lifted his chin, considering her question. "Okay, maybe I have. Once. A long time ago. In my twenties?" He waved his free hand dismissively. "Only the young can afford to do that." 

Ji Hyo laughed. "You're not that old, hyung. You're-" she frowned. "I'm sorry, how old are you?" 

"34," he said promptly. "You? Oh, I don't mean to-" 

"I'm 29," she said. "Don't worry, I'm not that sensitive about my age. At least not yet." 

He snorted. "Not yet? When will you be sensitive, then?" 

"When I'm nearing 40 and still single? I'll think I'll panic then."

He laughed. "Got it all planned out, huh?"

She shrugged, smiling. "Of course." 

They neared the set. It was noisier than before. The other members had arrived, save for Gary and Joong Ki. They were talking among themselves and the crew, a little too loudly as per usual. 

"Oh," Jong Kook tensed, noticing the rest. "We should hurry back." 

"Yeah, we should," Ji Hyo said, opening up her steps to keep up with him as he started to stride. 

"Sorry I took up all your time," he said, turning back to shoot her an apologetic look. 

"It's okay," she said, her words shaky with her bigger movements. "The coffee is good." 

He smiled. "It is, isn't it?"


	2. The Commander and the Ace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Setting:** the momentous episode 21!  
>  **Inspired by:** the corny-ass introduction to the "The Commander and the Ace" pairing lol, thought I'd do a behind-the-scenes spoof  
>  **Speculation:** that Jo Hyo Jin is an insufferably enthusiastic producing director despite his poker face on screen

"How does it look?" Jong Kook asked as he walked over to the cameras.

Hyo jin directed him to the one at the center of the set. "It looks good," he said, pressing the replay button. “You guys look good on screen.”

Ji Hyo came up from behind him and peered into the camera. The shot of them putting their heads and palms together and saying "Mission Team, just you wait" greeted her. She laughed dryly.

“It still looks kind of tacky, hyung,” she said.

Jong Kook agreed. The back-to-back buddy cop poses are usually done ironically, but he wasn’t so sure it would come off that way when edited. Not to mention they were going to add "serious" music and slow-mo the whole thing. There was also the issue of them failing spectacularly as the chaser team to worry about, but at least that would mean the footage would be scraped. Maybe. One could hope.

“C’mon,” Hyo Jin slapped their shoulders. “We wanted to try a new pairing! It’s good for the viewers to see closer interactions, and it’s good for bonding, isn’t it? You guys were having fun laughing and all.”

Ji Hyo and Jong Kook both shot the skinny director a look.

“This was your idea, Ji Hyo-ssi!” Hyo Jin pointed out, indignant.

“I never said I wanted to be _coupled_ with Jong Kook hyung,” she retorted. “I said I wanted to be on his team.”

Jong Kook backed her up just as their director was about to speak. "We just introduced the Monday Couple, isn’t it risky to try another boy-girl pairing so soon?"

Hyo Jin huffed, his lips starting to pout just a little. Jong Kook met Ji Hyo’s gaze and he reciprocated her cheeky smile. Annoying Jo PD was always fun.

“Look, we’ve already filmed the introduction, so can we just-” Hyo Jin gestured with his hands (a little desperately) like he was telling them to roll with it. “Okay?”

The pair nodded and tried their best to look chastened. “Nae, Jo PD-nim,” they chorused.

Hyo Jin lit up with a pacified smile. “Great! Now go chase down the mission team. You guys will do great!” He gave them an overly excited double thumbs up, which sent them into another peal of laughter as they set off.

They got a head start on their VJs, who were still behind helping to pack up, as they walked across the bridge that led back into the building. When they were about halfway to the automatic sliding doors, Ji Hyo’s nerves began to show. She kept biting her lip and fiddling with her walkie-talkie. Her eyes were darting about in every which way. Before Jong Kook could think of anything to say, however, she beat him to it.

“Hyung,” she said, her voice taut. “I want to apologize in advance.”

“For what?”

She heaved a sigh. “For being a burden to you later.”

Jong Kook smiled, amused. “You won’t be a burden, Ji Hyo-ssi.”

She hung her head. “You don’t know that.”

He patted her shoulder firmly. “You’ll do fine! I’ve watched you on previous episodes, you’re pretty observant. You can be my eyes.”

She looked up at him. “I guess,” she considered, stepping through the entrance. “But that would mean you’re doing all the running.”

He shrugged. “That’s what I’m good for. Just tell me where to go and I’ll fly there.”

She chuckled. “Never thought I’d hear you tell me that.”

“Feels good, doesn’t it? Ordering the Commander around?”

She choked out a laugh. “You call yourself "the Commander"?”

Jong Kook faltered, taken aback. “Why not?” he tried to say coolly, but failed. He felt his cheeks heat up and prayed that he looked more human than overripe tomato. Ji Hyo laughed even harder, and it was contagious. He ended up laughing in spite of himself, and they both went into quite a fit just as their VJs neared them with suspicious looks.

Jong Kook spotted them and cleared his throat in an attempt to compose them both. Ji Hyo’s eyes flitted to the two men with cameras fast approaching them. She clamped her lips together in a valiant attempt to stop herself, but she couldn’t seem to wipe the smile of her face. And well, neither could he.

“Shall we split up?” he managed to say rather seriously, trying to get back to business, but Ji Hyo jumped on the opportunity.

“Yes, Commander!” she chirped, raising her hand to her temple in mock salute.

He shoved her a little, feeling his cheeks burn all over again. “Ji Hyo-ssi!”

Ki Jin and Sung Gyu finally reached them. Their VJs' bewildered faces, though more than enough to set them both off again for God knows how long, forced Ji Hyo to compose herself, for real this time. “Okay, okay, I’m done,” she declared, still smiling like a goof. “I’ll contact you if I see anything, hyung.”

Jong Kook nodded as solemnly as he could and they went their separate ways, his VJ Ki Jin still very confused about what he had missed. They were about to make a turn at the corner when Ji Hyo called out. “Hyung!”

He spun around.

“If this works out and we really become-” she raised her hands to make air quotation marks, “"the strongest chasing team" or whatever, I’ll buy you coffee from that place you brought me to!”

Jong Kook nodded. “Sure!” he called back. “Sounds good.”

She tilted her head and shot him a bright smile before jogging off with her VJ Sung Gyu on her heels. Jong Kook smiled to himself, infected.

It’d be so awesome if they really became the strongest duo.


	3. Monday the 14th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jong Kook opens Ji Hyo's gift on the night of Valentine's Day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Setting:** after the filming of episode 32, where Ji Hyo gives out Valentine's Day gifts and harasses Jong Kook during office basketball  
>  **Inspired by:** Jae Suk reading out Kwang Soo's and Gary's cards, it made me curious about what Ji Hyo wrote for Jong Kook  
>  **Speculation:** almost the whole scene is speculated lol, I'm sorry

Jong Kook hyung!  
Happy Valentine's day~  
Thanks for bickering with me on set. I enjoy our little spats very much. Thanks for looking out for me! I'll continue to work hard~  
Ji Hyo 🙂 

Jong Kook read the note again as he took the chocolate cake out from its white box on the dining table. It was somewhat melted from being kept in the car since the start of filming, and it certainly was too late at night for sweets, but he took a bite from it anyway, just so he could say that he ate it without having to lie. 

He smiled at her handwritten message. Their "spats" were indeed nice. It was great to see her become more comfortable with her voice in front of the camera. He figured out a while ago that he could easily give her an opening if he just teased her, and has been doing it ever since. It feels good to have his efforts acknowledged, even though there was no need for a "thank you". 

Jong Kook eyed the sinful mound of sugar. The cake was actually really good. One more bite shouldn't hurt. Besides, wasn't it rude to throw so much away? 

His phone buzzed loudly in the silence of the house. Chewing on another glorious mouthful of cake, he picked the device up and was greeted very unceremoniously with a message. 

_Oppa. I found one of your gym towels in my apartment. I must have washed it for you with my own laundry and forgot about it. You can come and collect it from my doorman anytime._

His heart sank, the fudge suddenly thick in his throat. 

Of course she sends this tonight. 

His girlfriend, or more accurately, his ex, was never the subtle type. There always had to be flowers, showy displays of affection, declarations of love. Even their fights, big or small, had to be screaming matches. 

It makes sense that she breaks their 8-month silence on the night of Valentine's Day. 

Jong Kook sighed heavily and pushed the cake away. He slouched into his chair, defeated. The wall clock ticked relentlessly in the quiet space, as if determined to get past the last few minutes of the night.

Has it really been 8 months since they broke up? The last time he checked, a month had barely passed. Where did 7 whole months go?

His phone buzzed again, and his hopes sank just a little at the sight of the name on the screen. 

"Song Ji Hyo-ssi"  
_I had a really fun time playing basketball today, hyung! I didn't go overboard with the fouls, did I? Hope you're feeling better. Kwang Soo told me your back was hurting after the weightlifting game._

His lips quirked at the message, however. Office basketball was probably one of the best laughs he's had this week. He's had the thought a million times over but he still didn't know what would've become of him if he'd said no to this show. He remembered that night. Dong Hoon was there, behind the bar they both like, watching him puke his gut's worth of hard liquor out just hours after the end of one of the longest relationships he's ever had. When the worst of it passed, Jong Kook crumpled rather dramatically to the ground and his dongsaeng accepted the offer for Running Man for the both of them right then and there. 

He stared at Ji Hyo's gift on the table. If he'd protested, and turned the offer down, would he be drinking like he did that night instead of eating a cake from his colleague right now?

Feeling a somewhat misplaced sense of gratitude, Jong Kook hastily typed a reply.

_I'm glad you had fun, Ji Hyo-ssi, I did too. And don't worry, you didn't go overboard, it was funny! Hope I didn't annoy you with my feints. My back is better, thanks for asking. Thanks for the cake too, it's delicious._

Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. 

Formalities on the night of Valentine's Day. 

The clock finally ticked past the number 12. Jong Kook forced in a deep breath.

Whatever. The corporate holiday was over.


	4. A "Rather Perfect" Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Setting:** episode 36! Grocery shopping, there was the whole Mong Taxi thing the previous episode too  
>  **Inspired by:** um, a car ride? Whenever it's obvious that scenes were cut I tend to make something up  
>  **Speculation:** well the car ride is true... but the rest, yeah speculated
> 
> P.S. "Rather Perfect" is a reference to Gary saying "It's rather perfect? We're really very perfect, aren't we?" when Jong Kook and Ji Hyo returned with all the right ingredients

The car passed underneath the sign directing their lane on the highway to the Mapo District.

“First let’s settle on the ingredients?” Ji Hyo asked chirpily, looking into the camera on the dash.

“Yes,” replied Jong Kook. “They drew garlic, right?”

Ji Hyo started scribbling on the notepad the crew gave them at the camping site. “Leeks," she said and he repeated after her.

“They also drew kimchi,” he reminded, and she continued to write, the both of them listing all the ingredients needed for the army stew they figured their team had drawn for them on the drawing block.

Ji Hyo straightened in her seat, her pen finally coming to a rest. “Our teamwork’s really good,” she said confidently.

“The other team are just idiots,” Jong Kook remarked. “The both of them.” 

Ji Hyo gave a good-natured laughed. 

“How long more before we reach?” she asked.

“Another 10, 15 minutes? The supermarket isn’t that far from the camping site.”

Jong Kook kept his eyes on the road. They’ll have to exit the highway soon. He started to look for openings to change lanes.

“I haven’t been camping in a long while,” Ji Hyo stated with a brisk air. “What about you, oppa?”

He smiled at her valiant effort to fill the silence. “Ji Hyo-ssi," he said, "we don’t have to keep up a conversation if you don’t feel up for one.”

“Ah,” she laughed, dipping her head down. “I’m sorry, hyung, I just thought... since the cameras were on...”

“They can edit parts out, Ji Hyo-ssi, don’t worry about it,” Ki Jin added from the back seat, still lying down out of sight to avoid being shot by the camera. “In fact, if you don’t do or say anything worthy of screen time, I can sit up.”

Ji Hyo laughed. “Well, then I guess I should do my best to be funny.”

Through the rear view mirror Jong Kook watched Ki Jin’s polite smile fade in place of a startled expression. Jong Kook turned his eyes back to the road, chuckling.

“That might just be worthy of screen time, guys,” he said.

Ki Jin smiled wryly, catching on to the joke. “Good thing I’m lying down then.”

A comfortable length of silence passed between them. Ji Hyo started using her phone, and Ki Jin shifted into a more comfortable lying position on the seat to do the same. Jong Kook saw the sign for their exit on the highway come up in the distance. A thought came to mind.

“Ji Hyo-ssi.”

“Nae, hyung?” she replied, not missing a beat.

“I forgot to tell you earlier.” He paused, pretending to look where he was going but really praying the next part wouldn’t come out all cheesy. “You were great in the water taxi.”

“Ah, really?” He couldn’t see her smile but he could hear its shape in her words. “I was worried I might have been a little too annoying, actually.”

“No, you weren’t at all,” Jong Kook gushed, encouraged by her response. “I thought you were funny and in character. It was easy to build off of you to talk. I think not just for me but with Gary and the rest too.”

“Mm, I think so too,” Ki Jin added from the back again. “You’re a lot more natural this time, Ji Hyo-ssi. More confident too.”

She lowered her head shyly and reached for the nape of her neck, something Jong Kook realized Kwang Soo does a lot too. He wondered who picked it up from whom. “Aw, you guys,” she said, beaming. “Thanks for saying that. It means a lot to me.” 

He smiled, pulling out of the highway just as she turned behind in her seat. The VJ looked up at her from his phone. "For what it's worth, Ki Jin-ssi," she began, "I think you've become more fit chasing hyung around." 

Through the rearview mirror, Jong Kook watched Ki Jin break into just the biggest smile. "That's so nice of you to say, Ji Hyo-ssi," said his VJ dongsaeng, "you're so much nicer than hyung-nim. He never compliments me on anything." 

"Yah, you punk," Jong Kook growled, frowning like he was seriously mad. "You still haven't been working out as much as I like." 

The VJ's mouth hung open, indignant. "No one can work out that much, hyung, I'll die!" 

Ignoring the petulant child now occupying the back seat, Jong Kook turned his gaze to Ji Hyo, narrowing his eyes at her. "And why are you trying to get my VJ to turn against me?" 

She shrugged, a cheeky smile shining through her eyes. "I'm just stating facts, hyung. Ki Jin's probably the fastest compared to the rest." 

The next smile that stretched across his VJs face was so nauseatingly sweet he cringed. "Thank you, Ji Hyo-ssi!" Ki Jin enthused. 

"Yah," Jong Kook retorted, "you're the fastest because I run the most, okay? If anything, I trained you!" 

"I get some credit for it too, right, Ji Hyo-ssi?" Ki Jin egged on from the safety of the backseat. 

"Yah, you little-" 

Ji Hyo laughed, and a silent truce settled over the vehicle, but it wasn't long before Ki Jin took another, albeit softer, shot. "Ji Hyo-ssi jjang." 

Jong Kook gritted his teeth into a menacing smile. "When we get off of this car, I swear I'm gonna-"

"We have a mission, hyung!" Ji Hyo cried, laughing again. "Ki Jin-ssi, knock it off! Let's go over the list again."

Jong Kook tried to glare at his VJ through the mirror but Ji Hyo jabbed his forearm with the notepad. "Hyung, the light turned green." 

"Huh? Oh, yeah," he responded almost automatically, turning his gaze back to the front. 

"So the vegetables we need are..." she went on, reading off the list methodically. Jong Kook only realized he had given her his fullest attention and forgotten all about the punk in his backseat when they pulled into the carpark in front of the supermarket. 

Before the engines could power down completely, she hopped out of the car. "Hurry, guys! I think the other team's here!" 

Infected by her frenzy, the men scrambled to get out of the vehicle, Ki Jin prepping his camera and Jong Kook locking the car at top speed. They picked up their steps to catch up with her, where she was already level with Jae Suk and bickering with the variety veteran.

"Ji Hyo-ssi is pretty cool, hyung," his VJ stated just before they reached her. 

Jong Kook felt a smile tug at his lips. "Yeah, she really is."


	5. 6 Useless Little Princes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jong Kook finds out that Ji Hyo's sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Setting:** on the set of episode 40, the one where Jong Kook says Ji Hyo is "pretty cute"  
>  **Inspired by:** um, my love for hurt/comfort? Apparently Ji Hyo legit had a cold that episode  
>  **Speculation:** other than the whole thing, not much :')

Jong Kook watched his lanky dongsaeng heave a great sigh against the door like a desolate, overgrown stick insect. 

"I never thought I'd be hiding in a toilet with you, hyung," Kwang Soo said, disappointment blaring in his voice. 

Jong Kook smiled wryly. "Yah, I told you, my back's hurting. I can't run much today." 

Kwang Soo kept his downcast gaze on the bathroom tiles. "We're gonna lose today, aren't we?" he asked, finally looking up at his hyung with a pitiful smile. 

Jong Kook laughed. "We're not that hopeless, Kwang Soo yah!" 

"The race barely started, and we're already hiding!" 

Pretending to take offence, Jong Kook snapped, "Go out if you want then!" 

Kwang Soo hesitated. "It's better to stick together, hyung." 

"You seem unhappy hiding out here," Jong Kook pointed out, hopefully sounding begrudging enough to warrant, at least, a change in tone. 

Sure enough: "No, hyung," his dongsaeng began hastily, "I didn't mean it that way, I mean... we should be doing more." 

"We will, we're just hiding for about 5 minutes or so. If the coast is clear we can go. So," he gestured upwards towards the small window in the wall, "go check." 

"Nae, hyung," Kwang Soo said, subdued. 

The window was situated quite high up for ventilation purposes but it was at eye-level for his tall dongsaeng. Kwang Soo peered gingerly through the glass like he was told, and Jong Kook smiled in spite of himself. This kid was annoying most of the time, but he could be really endearing when he wasn't trying to be too funny.

"I don't think anyone's there, hyung," he reported.

"Good," Jong Kook remarked. "We have about another 3 minutes to wait. Then we'll head out." 

"Nae, hyung." 

A short span of quiet passed between them before Kwang Soo heaved a sigh again. 

"Yah you, seriously," Jong Kook said. "What's wrong now?"

"Our team's not really in good shape today, hyung," his dongsaeng lamented forlornly. "Your back's hurting, Ji Hyo noona has the flu," he trailed off, shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Sit up straight," Jong Kook snapped and Kwang Soo bolted upright, looking appropriately chastened. Satisfied, Jong Kook asked, "Ji Hyo's sick?"

Kwang Soo nodded. "She ran a really high fever last night, apparently. I told her not to come today, but she insisted on coming." He chuckled. "Now that I think about it, both of you have the same energy. She got mad at me telling her to stay home." 

Jong Kook shot him a look, and his dongsaeng corrected his expression quickly. 

A high fever, huh. 

"Did you check if she was feeling better today, then?" 

Something flitted under Kwang Soo's expression, something like suspicion. "I did," he said, a little warily. "She said she felt better after taking cold medicine in the morning." 

Jong Kook tilted his head, dissatisfied. "That doesn't mean she's recovered, though. The medicine would wear off." 

It took a few moments for him to realize his dongsaeng was staring. 

"What?" he demanded defensively. 

Kwang Soo opened his mouth as if to speak, but then decided against it. "Nothing, I think it's been 5 minutes, hyung, should we leave?" 

Normally Jong Kook would've grilled the kid until he got a straight answer, but he sort of knew what his dongsaeng was thinking, and if his guess was right, he was honestly more than happy to leave the washroom. 

"Yeah, let's go." 

~

Kwang Soo wasn't kidding about the fever, and Jong Kook was right about the medicine wearing off. 

Ji Hyo's forehead felt like a fully functioning heater under his hand. 

She stirred from her nap on the table, her black suit crinkling a little. "Jong Kook oppa?" She croaked, confused. "What's wrong?" 

"You're burning up, that's what's wrong." 

She sat up, with some visible difficulty. He couldn't tell if it was the grogginess or the lethargy. Or both. "I'm fine," she said. "I just have to wait for the medicine to kick in again." 

His frown stayed right where it was. "You shouldn't have come for filming, Ji Hyo yah." 

She smiled reassuringly, but it did nothing to help her case, what with her half-closed eyes and waxy complexion that made her eye bags monstrously apparent.

"I'm really okay, oppa," she insisted. "I felt worse last night. And I already came for filming so I'm gonna see it through," she said with all the valiant strength a person running a (probably) 38 degree fever could muster. 

He got the "seeing through" part, though. He kind of figured she'd say that. Sighing a little more than he needed to, Jong Kook reached into his matching black suit and pulled out a small dark bottle. 

"Drink this," he said, holding it out to her. 

"What is it?" she asked as she took the bottle from him. 

"A herbal tea. It helps to cool the body down." 

Ji Hyo wrinkled her nose. "Is it bitter?" 

"Anything good for your health is bitter." 

She grimaced, eyeing the bottle like it was an insect. "Oppa, I'm... kind of full from dinner-" 

"You hardly ate anything," he pointed out. 

She faltered. "I- I have no appetite-" 

"Ji Hyo yah," he sighed. 

"I found 5 out of 8 coats-"

"Ji Hyo-ssi."

She clamped her lips together, accepting defeat. "Nae, hyung-nim," she conceded. 

Jong Kook watched, amused, as she pinched her nose and downed the drink as quickly as she could. She made quite a remarkable face on her last strained gulp. 

"Ow, that's bitter." 

"Of course it is, it's good for you," Jong Kook chirped, taking the bottle back from her. "Stay hydrated," he said, rather pointlessly, as she started inhaling her bottle of water to get rid of the taste. "And let any of us know if you need to rest, alright?" 

She continued to drink, screwing her eyes shut. 

"Ji Hyo yah, seriously, are you trying to drown yourself?" 

She set the emptied bottle down on the table. "The tea was so bitter, oppa!" she cried indignantly. 

"Well, you're welcome!" he snapped. 

"Fine," she grumbled, pouting. "Thanks, I guess." 

Jong Kook held back the smile tearing at his lips. "Now get some rest, we still have a while before filming starts again." 

Seeming more than willing to comply with that instruction, Ji Hyo lowered her head back down on the table, but not before Jong Kook caught a glimpse of a smile.


	6. Wrong Number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Setting:** after the filming of episode 47, the one where Jong Kook calls Ji Hyo an egg in the Nakdong river after misleading her to win a quiz  
>  **Inspired by:** ep 65, the one where Ji Hyo calls Jong Kook by mistake thinking she's calling Kwang Soo and Jong Kook says it's okay, it's not the first time this has happened. My trashy fangirl brain jumped on that line like a starved primate on food lol. My guess is she contacts both of them quite frequently so they're on her recent contacts list? That's why she mixes them up? Anywho, I've thought a lotttt about what happened the first time Ji Hyo called the wrong number, but this scenario is the one I like best heh  
>  **Speculation:** again, almost the whole thing is... maybe I should stop trying to measure how much of my stuff is speculated if it always is hm

_Yah, how long are you going to make Noona wait?_

Ji Hyo stared at her phone, watching Kwang Soo's status change from _online_ to _typing_... She had been waiting for almost 10 minutes and her legs were starting to ache, thanks to the lack of benches at the bus stop.

 _I'm so sorry, Noona! I swear, the bus got delayed at a stop. I'll reach in another 5 minutes!_

She scoffed, her hand already itching to smack the young man the second he got off the vehicle. 

_If you're not here in 5 minutes, I'm getting on the next bus and leaving!_

Satisfied with her threat, Ji Hyo looked around at the area. Kwang Soo had assured her that there weren't that many people in this part of Nam Yang Ju, and he was right. It was quite deserted. Ji Hyo hardly saw anyone the whole time she'd been standing there. Other than the privacy, Kwang Soo had also insisted that the noodles from this one stall would make her travelling time worth it. 

Ji Hyo watched the first minute pass on her screen. 

He'd better be right about the food.

She couldn't get mad, though, not really. She could picture, plain as day, her dongsaeng panicking in his seat: craning his neck every few seconds to look at the road ahead as if that would help speed the bus up. Ji Hyo caught herself smiling. She'd never say it to him, but there were times that made her wonder if she had adopted a younger brother somewhere along their friendship.

Her phone buzzed in her hand. 

She rolled her eyes preemptively, but stopped. 

"Jong Kook hyung", the screen displayed.  
_Hope you're not still upset about me stealing your answer for the quiz. (Can eggs in the Nakdong River get upset?)_

She snorted, but let the smile tickling the corners of her lips stretch across her face.  
_Little known fact: eggs in the Nakdong River are known for their forgiving nature. (Even towards Daedong River scums)_

She watched Jong Kook's status closely. 

_Hm, that doesn't sound very forgiving._

_Guess I'm not an egg in the Nakdong River then._

Her phone buzzed again, and the drop down notification graced her with Kwang Soo's plea.  
_Give me another 5 minutes, Noona! The bus driver sucks. I'm so sorryyyyyyy T.T_

Ji Hyo shook her head. This kid's really asking for it. 

Without really looking at the screen, she tapped on his message to be directed to her chat with him before tapping the call icon. 

He answered in 2 rings. "Yeoboseyo?" 

"Yah you, seriously, I've been waiting here for almost 15 minutes and you're still making excuses about the bus driver?" 

Ji Hyo felt the stunned silence before she even heard it. Her frown softened. Was she too harsh? 

"Kwang soo yah?" she called, mindfully softening her tone. But only just a little. 

"Oh... Ji Hyo yah, I'm not-" 

"What?" She squeaked, her anger back in tow. "'Ji Hyo yah'? I'm your noona, you punk!" 

"I- I'm Kim Jong Kook." 

Ji Hyo froze. 

She whipped her phone out in front of her.

_Calling: Jong Kook oppa_

Her mouth fell open.

How did... She just cursed at... She talked in banmal...

"Ji Hyo yah?" Came the soft bewildered voice out of the speaker.

By some miracle of anatomy, Ji Hyo moved her phone back to her ear, and animated her lips. 

"Op-oppa," she swallowed, her throat turning dry. "I-I'm so sorry, I was calling Kwang Soo, but you sounded so much like him I didn't think-" 

It took a full second for her to realize that the sound she was hearing was Jong Kook's laughter.

"Aigoo, Ji Hyo yah, you're really mong, aren't you?" He laughed again but Ji Hyo couldn't, for the life of her, tell whether it was a polite or genuine laugh that she was supposed to match. She kept her silence helplessly as the older man calmed down. "It's okay," he assured, "I knew you got the wrong number." 

Ji Hyo exhaled something that sounded more like a cackling frog than human laughter. 

"I didn't mean to curse at you, oppa, I swear!" She cried, holding her forehead, which was close to exploding at that point. "I was just- I thought you were Kwang Soo-" 

If anything, his laugh got heartier. "It's really okay, Ji Hyo yah! I know you weren't cursing at me." 

Her cheeks burned as she felt sheer embarrassment take the reigns from her shock. "I- I'm so sorry, oppa," was all she could think to say. 

"It's okay," he repeated in kind. "Look, I've got to go, and it seems like you have yet to scold Kwang Soo so I'll hang up, alright? Don't sweat this."

"N-nae, hyung," she scrambled, and heard another chuckle before the line went dead. 

Her hand remained stuck in its position, as did her jaw, but before she even had a second to process her daylight nightmare, Kwang Soo chose that moment to stumble into place next to her, panting. 

"The bus broke down, noona, you wouldn't believe it. I ran from the bus stop behind-" he paused, still breathing heavily. "Noona?" 

"Kwang Soo yah," she began, slowly lowering her arm to her side. "I just cursed... at Jong Kook oppa." 

An incredibly calm moment passed. 

"What?" He asked, a mix of amusement and confusion in his voice.

Ji Hyo felt her cheeks burn all over again. "This is your fault!" she exploded, smacking her long-bodied dongsaeng to vent her shame. "You're so late! I called to scold you but I called Jong Kook oppa instead-" 

Kwang Soo laughed aloud, finally understanding what happened even as he attempted to shield himself from her slap-happy palms. "So you scolded Jong Kook hyung-" he tried to say.

She smacked him again, harder, suddenly finding it unbearable to hear her blunder from his lips. "Yes, I did! I cursed at Jong Kook oppa!" she whined, and covered her face as her dongsaeng laughed his head off. 

How was she ever going to come back from this?


	7. A Small Chin and a Strong Scalp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hair-pulling goodness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Setting:** episode 48, the one where Ji Hyo has to identify the members by touching their faces.  
>  **Inspired by:** the evil glint in Jong Kook's eyes when Ji Hyo yanks on his hair?

"Ah, I got it," Ji Hyo declared, taking her hands off Kwang Soo's face. 

As his dongsaeng went on to the back of the queue, Jong Kook stepped forward, inhaling deeply, determined to not get his hair pulled this time. 

"Oh? How did she get that so quickly?" murmured Suk Jin.

"That's because Kwang Soo has a part here that sticks out," Jae Suk quipped, not missing a beat as he pointed to the base of his own forehead.

Jong Kook grabbed onto Ji Hyo's forearms, easily wrapping his fingers around them. No way were they going anywhere without his consent. 

"Why do you always say the negative things about me?" Kwang Soo cried out, indignant. 

With his eyes closed for fear of getting them poked, Jong Kook guided Ji Hyo's hands towards his face, but she strayed against his grip as if disoriented. He loosed his grip just a little for her to get her bearings, and she seized the opportunity to grab his chin. The moment her hand made contact, her other hand yanked on his hair from the back.

"Yah!" Jong Kook yelled in pain as laughter erupted from all around him. He tightened his grip on her forearms uselessly. "This- seriously-" he could hardly think. "Yah!" 

She finally released his poor bunch of hair, and he found himself mirroring her silly smile despite trying to glare at her. She looked way too happy in her pink blindfold and huge headphones. He shook his head, massaging his aching scalp as he moved to the back of the line behind his dongsaeng. 

"Hyung, are you okay?" Kwang Soo asked, half-amused, but also putting a hand to his mouth in shock. 

Jong Kook laughed, still rubbing the sore spot on his head. "You know how hard she pulls it," he said. 

Kwang Soo nodded, smiling with something like respect. "Noona doesn't hold back." 

~

She wasn't even the least bit surprised when it happened. 

Ji Hyo was talking to Haha, who had shown no sign of his awareness that someone was sneaking up on her from the back. That conspirator. She felt the tug on her scalp mid-sentence. 

"Yah!" She cried, and immediately, "Kim Jong Kook!" 

Haha laughed with his jaw hanging open, his eyes widening at the gall of her response, but Jong Kook didn't seem fazed by it at all. His focus was unwavering as he continued to yank on her hair, giggling all silly. Ji Hyo reached back to pull his arm away, but all she felt were muscles tightening under his skin: there were no signs of him letting go.

"Ah - oppa!" she yelled, screwing her eyes shut from the pain now. "Yah, are you crazy!" 

Jong Kook let go with a manic squeal and took off, running towards the back of the set where some of the crew were watching with a mix of amused, confused and knowing smiles. Ji Hyo didn't even waste a second to check for any loss of hair. She leapt into pursuit, and ended up facing her attacker who was standing on the other side of the largest camera stand.

She edged to the right, and Jong Kook did the same like the child he was. 

"That hurts, doesn't it?" he cried gleefully, eyes shining from his act of revenge. 

She pointed an accusing finger at him, but did nothing to stop the huge smile stretching across her face. "You're gonna get it from me, Kim Jong Kook!" She declared as she jumped over the legs of the stand. 

Her fingers grazed his skin but he wormed out of her reach before she could grab on to his tree trunk of an arm. He looked over his shoulder to flash an absurdly triumphant smile before bursting off in another direction. A laugh escaped Ji Hyo's lips, and she widened her strides into a proper chase. 

It was only much later that they realized they'd left all their formalities behind for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is such a short chapter. I'm swamped with essays and presentations at school, and it's only gonna get busier :( I didn't really edit this either, so I'm sorry if it reads kinda raw and unpolished (more so than usual).


	8. Adrenaline Junkies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jong Kook and Ji Hyo get hyped before they get their game on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Setting** : ep 53, the glorious water park episode (JK pulling JH's ears, bts pics of them holding hands, etc)  
>  **Inspired by** : JH's love for adrenaline, and how JK is probably the only one who can take her level of thrill (plus my own experience of U-shaped horror water slides)

Jong Kook heard Ji Hyo gasp next to him as they all walked out into the sunlight. He followed her gaze, and saw that she was staring almost hungrily at the steep yellow slide on the far side. It was curved like the letter U, situated between two large elevated buckets that sent brief but powerful waterfalls crashing down to the pool below. 

She whipped her head to face him, and he caught that familiar glint in her eyes.

A bemused chuckle escaped his lips. "Really?" He tilted his head in the direction of the attraction. "That one?" 

She broke into an enormous grin and nodded fervently. Jong Kook shut his eyes as if annoyed, but he felt a smile tug at his lips.

Suk Jin frowned, looking between the two of them. "What one?" he asked. 

"Ji Hyo wants to ride that, hyung," he explained, pointing. 

"We can't do anything until the rest arrive anyway!" She said, defensive, watchful for any sign of protest from the rest of them.

Jong Kook regarded the yellow monstrosity. They should really be using their early arrival to their advantage. They could look for good hiding places or vantage points or something of the sort. But it's also true that the final mission can only begin when the rest arrive. And honestly, how often do they get to play at a water park? 

Suk Jin shuddered at the sight of the bright-coloured menace. "You two go ahead, I'm not getting on that thing." 

"Neither are we," their VJs Ki Jin and Sung Gyu chorused. 

Ki Jin alternated a steely gaze between Jong Kook and Ji Hyo. "If you two want to ride it, ride it without the camera and come back here," he said. Sung Gyu nodded solemnly in agreement, both of them looking a bit too grave about not wanting to go on a water slide. 

Jong Kook's eyebrows furrowed. "But we can't-" he stopped short as Ji Hyo started tugging at his forearm. 

"Oppa, it'll only take a second! We can do without the camera for 5 minutes!" 

His entire case about screen time died on his lips when he took second glance at her: almost vibrating with excitement, with her eyes shining from her face.

He sighed heavily in defeat. "Okay, fine. But it has to be super quick." 

Ji Hyo beamed. "It will!" she promised, releasing her grip and getting ready to run. "Let's hurry, let's hurry," she said as she took off.

He shook his head, feigning exasperation. "We'll be back in about 15 minutes," he reported to no one in particular, and jogged after his overly excited friend. 

~

The screams and squeals of the two girls that went before them died down as they cleared out at the bottom. With no one in front of them anymore, Jong Kook felt his nerves kick in. 

The staff with visors and bright life jackets gestured for the two of them to step up to the head of the slide. Ji Hyo bounded forward with perfect ease, but Jong Kook found himself taking heavy, hesitant steps. He looked over the edge gingerly, and felt his throat dry up. 

It was a really steep drop.

"Yah," he said, licking his lips. "It looks kind of scary, doesn't it?" 

"Not really," she answered, already standing next to the yellow two-seater float. "It'll be over really fast," she assured.

Jong Kook swallowed, warily stepping up to the cold, raised platform. He could feel everyone's gaze trained on him. If anything, he was at least sure that the pressure was going to make him see this through.

"You can sit back-facing the slide, oppa," Ji Hyo provided, giggling a little. "It might help if you can't see the drop." 

He shook his head against his will. "It's okay," he said, trying to convince himself as he spoke. "I'm okay facing the front."

The staff took that as a cue and went ahead to hold on to both sides of the back of the float, steadying their ride. Clearly itching to do it, Ji Hyo plopped happily down on her seat. Jong Kook followed her lead and settled down in his, trying to ignore how flimsy the stretched rubber suddenly looked in the staff's firm grip. He could hardly find amusement in the fact that the only thing blocking his view of the sheer drop was Ji Hyo's idiotic grin.

The staff counted down before he could even form second thoughts.

"One... two..." 

Ji Hyo let out a preemptive scream. 

"Three!" 

And he was weightless. 

Adrenaline shot through his veins at a thousand meters per second, and he felt his facial muscles contort as his body stiffened. Once they hit the bend at the bottom, the shock bubbled up his lungs and escaped in the form of manic laughter. He caught sight of Ji Hyo's face on the second backward drop, and saw that she was laughing her head off, with a smile so wide it shouldn't have been humanly possible. Infected, and charged with energy, Jong Kook let out a loud whoop just as she did the same. They locked gazes and laughed all over again just as the ride started to slow down. 

"It's fun, isn't it, oppa!" she gasped, breathless. 

"It was!" he laughed, wiping his face of the spray.

In a frenzy of clearing out for the next pair, Jong Kook haphazardly nodded a brief thanks to helpers putting their float away for them. It took a full second for him to register how quickly Ji Hyo was already skipping away from him for the photobooth. He just managed to stop himself from laughing out loud at the sight of her practically bouncing on her feet. Smiling, he picked up his pace to level with her. 

"Oppa!" she chirped, clearly still riding high from the fall. "There's a ride we can get on with Suk Jin oppa!"

"The river one?" he guessed, ruffling his wet hair with his hands.

She brightened. "That's the one! They have a tide sometimes, which can be fun but it's not that scary!"

The ground started to feel warm the more they walked. "That sounds good, actually. But do we have time?" 

"No one else is here yet, oppa!" 

He grinned. "That's true. But-" 

She dropped to a crouch next to him without warning, making him jump. He turned to see her shaking with laughter. 

He stared, bewildered. "Yah, what's wrong with you?"

She was obviously in no shape to explain her sudden outburst, so Jong Kook resorted to looking all around him. It didn't take him long to spot what set her off, and his cheeks burned so quickly he had to look away, flustered.

They had reached the photo booth. And his face, captured in all its contorted glory, was displayed proudly on the screen. 

"Oppa... you look..." Ji Hyo managed between gasps, "you look like... you got punched... in the face..." 

His embarrassment gave way to amusement, and he started laughing in spite of himself. It didn't help matters that Ji Hyo's inane chortling made the entire situation ten times more ridiculous. 

"Would you like a copy?" the person at the counter interjected, smiling, looking like she was trying to stifle a laugh herself.

Jong Kook looked down at Ji Hyo, who was almost lying flat on the ground at this point, holding her sides, and felt an inexplicable warmth spread in his chest. 

He couldn't be bothered to hide his joy when he regarded the cashier. "Yeah," he said, smiling freely. "I'd like one, please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took so longggg T.T Sorry about the hiatus, whoever's still reading.


End file.
